Chapter 72
After the tea party at House Ebeigne, the young lady was in high spirits and readily answered the questions I asked while we rode together in the same carriage.
"My lady, it seems today's tea party was particularly enjoyable."
"It was. I learned that Etan-sama's thinking, as the head of House Ebeigne, is centered on the halflings' knowledge of and ability to produce medicines, while Mira-sama's frontier territory is, as expected, focused primarily on military affairs. This country has six ducal houses alone with political influence; four marquis houses that, although one rank below them, are the highest-ranking noble houses that serve purely as vassals; four frontier houses with independent military forces; and twenty count houses, including House Slyries. The viscount and baron houses combined run into the hundreds. I knew all that as numbers, but I had never understood it through firsthand experience. I'm glad I got to speak with everyone."
"You were on the balcony with Louis-sama of House Rosier, weren't you?"
Partway through the tea party, young Louis and the young lady had gone out onto the balcony alone. Louis had seemed to be speaking passionately about something, while the young lady appeared to be listening intently.
"Heh, Reiji. Good of you to ask."
"Oh. So that was one of the things you found 'enjoyable'?"
"Louis-sama also shared my ideals!"
"...What did you just say?"
I could have sworn I heard something ominous...
"I told Louis-sama about my ideals as well: the realization of a society where every citizen could obtain happiness equally. Only the nobles, who hold power, can initiate change. I had previously asked whether it was really right for the nobles to monopolize the Talent Gems born from the One Heaven Altar—in other words, the Talent Gems bestowed by God."
"My lady, please never speak of that anywhere else."
"Of course. Even though I'm a noble, I must be extremely careful not to criticize His Majesty the Holy King's reign. 'His Majesty the Holy King's glory shines throughout the entire country,' after all."
The young lady understood that... She did understand, right? This would be okay, wouldn't it?
"Reiji, don't look so worried."
The young lady made a sulky face. Even that was adorable; beauty really was unfair.
"I'm telling you all this because I trust you! Louis-sama also said, 'I swear on my sword that I won't tell anyone,' so I told him everything."
"Oh..."
For a warrior to swear on his sword—especially when it was young Louis of House Rosier, a family so devoted to swordsmanship—must have taken considerable resolve. ...Though from where I stood, he looked like nothing more than a boy in love.
"And, Reiji, I said this earlier too. How are we supposed to unite a Holy Kingdom with so many different Races...? The answer is very simple."
"His Majesty the Holy King and the nobility, right?"
"...Correct. It's boring when you guess it so quickly."
The young lady was pouting again.
This country embraces diversity. That is why there are no barriers between Races.
Even so, a system is needed to bring everyone together—and that system is a powerful hierarchical society governed by the nobility.
And there is the Holy King, an imposing symbol.
The noble society the young lady considered 'unfair' seemed to me to exist as a necessary system. Of course, it would be a problem if foolish nobles monopolized the rare Talent Gems. At first I wasn't sure about the young lady and Etan-sama, but Louis, Mira-sama, and Charlotte-sama all seemed to be taking their studies seriously.
As they say, rights come with duties...
The Holy King bore the greatest of those duties: he stood alone at the very top and wielded tremendous power. He had become such an overwhelmingly powerful figure that people would think, 'If His Majesty the Holy King commands it, then it can't be helped.' That was probably why he was so particular about a symbol like the 'Holy Water Color.'
"Since House Rosier is in charge of the Altar Management Agency, Louis-sama seems to think that more Talent Gems could be put into circulation among ordinary people."
"Oh? Is House Rosier at the top of the Altar Management Agency?"
"I heard it's the head of the house."
So the Count's superior was young Louis's father.
If young Louis proposed to the young lady, the Count wouldn't be able to refuse, would he...? No, perhaps the Count had only joined because he needed the affiliation, and there wasn't actually any hierarchy between them?
(Good grief... To bring one of the Six Great Ducal Houses into the fold is terrifying.)
I suddenly realized something and asked:
"By the way, does young Louis have any siblings?"
"He said he has many younger siblings."
Oh, so he's the heir...?
I wonder if that will be all right. Well, it's not something I need to worry about.
I can't shake the feeling that the Count will interfere somewhere along the way.
"...Reiji. Um, you know, in three days I'll receive my Talent Gem."
The young lady said it while fidgeting somewhat.
"That's right. Congratulations."
Puzzled by her strange attitude, I tilted my head but offered my congratulations for the time being.
I'm sure every noble house was getting excited over the same subject. "Papa, what kind of Talent Gem are you giving me?" "Ha ha ha, I'm not allowed to tell you—it's a secret." "No, tell me!" "Not yet."—Something like that. She's twelve, so perhaps she'd be a little more mature than that.
Even though the Count never let it show, he cherished the young lady tremendously, so I'm sure he was spending an incredible amount of money to prepare it.
"I think what my father gives me will be something highly rare, and moreover, something suitable for a 'noble' to use."
"Yes. The Count of Slyries will surely have prepared something wonderful."
"That's why..."
"Yes?"
"I'm going to give one to you, Reiji."
"...Huh?"
She's giving one to me? What?
——Could it be a Talent Gem?
"I'll give you a Talent Gem suited to you! You should be delighted!"
"————"
Ah... oh, I see. The young lady wanted to give me a "present."
That's why she was so embarrassed. That's why she was fidgeting.
I was—unfortunately—sixteen, plus I'd spent another four years in this world, making my mental age about twenty, but seeing the young lady like this left me feeling all warm inside.
"It is my greatest honor, my lady."
"...Are you really happy about it?"
"Of course."
The young lady's ears turned red, and she glanced at me as if checking my reaction, so I smiled.
"Good. You may look forward to it."
The young lady looked away from me again, but even with her face turned aside, she looked absolutely overjoyed.